The group’s board, as of November 2023, from left to right, back row: Dr. Sue Keay (chair), Brenton Cunningham, Christian Ruberg, Tim Bradley, Dr. Nathan Kirchner; front row: Dr. John Vial, Tamanna Monem, Kathie van Vugt, Nicci Rossouw, Angus Robinson. Source: Robotics Australia Group

The robotics industry in Australia stands at the precipice of a transformative era, driven by a shared vision of sustainability and innovation. At the forefront of this movement is the Robotics Australia Group, an organization committed to nurturing a comprehensive robotics ecosystem.

From companies developing cutting-edge robotic technologies to educational institutions cultivating future talent, the group supports all facets of this burgeoning industry. Its mission aligns with the broader national objectives, as recently underscored by the Australian government’s National Robotics Strategy.

National Robotics Strategy points the way to innovation

Ed Husic, MP and the minister for industry and science, recently announced the National Robotics Strategy. It marks a significant milestone for the Australian robotics sector, said the Robotics Australia Group.

“The strategy not only highlights the current achievements, but also lays a robust foundation for future developments,” stated Dr. Nathan Kirchner, founding director of the group. “It is a call to industry stakeholders to collaborate and drive forward this ambitious vision.” 

This strategy aims to accelerate the adoption of robotics and automation technologies across various industries, a move that is integral to the broader vision of a “Future Made in Australia.” The strategy is imbued with optimism, promising substantial advancements and positioning Australia as a leader in robotics innovation on the global stage.

Minister Husic’s declaration signaled the Australian government’s commitment to harnessing the potential of robotics to address the country’s unique challenges.

Some examples of the world-leading field robotics delivered by group members. Source: Robotics Australia Group

Minister recognizes Robotics Australia contributions

The group said its contributions have been instrumental in shaping the current landscape of the Australian robotics industry. During his announcement of the National Robotics Strategy, Husic acknowledged its sustained efforts, active participation in the development of the strategy, the contributions made through publishing Australian Robotic Roadmaps, and continued advocacy.

“We have deep pockets of robotics excellence in Australia, we will become greatly more competitive on the world stage by joining them together,” said Kirchner. “The National Robotics Strategy is a significant step towards that. I am very proud that the underpinning groundwork of the Robotics Australia Group has been recognized.”

The organization has worked to support various stakeholders within the ecosystem. By fostering collaborations, facilitating research and development, and promoting educational initiatives, it said it has created a fertile ground for the robotics industry to thrive. The group added that it is working to ensure that the benefits of robotics and automation are accessible to a broad range of industries and applications.

Robotics provides Australia a strategic advantage

”We have overcome the core challenges of a very large land and sparsely populated country in order to deliver a number of notable outcomes,” said Kirchner. “Nevertheless, through doing so, we have developed a significant strategic advantage in the field hard robotics” 

Australia’s geographical and demographic characteristics make it an ideal candidate for pioneering advanced robotics, asserted the group. The country’s vast landmass, coupled with a relatively small and dispersed population, creates a unique set of challenges that robotics can effectively address. Remote areas often require complex tasks to be completed, and robots can significantly enhance efficiency and safety in these environments.

Moreover, Australia boasts a remarkable depth of local talent and expertise in both hardware and software aspects of robotics, said the organization.

Industries such as mining, ports, transport and logistics, construction, agriculture, and defense have long benefited from Australia’s field-hardened robotics intellectual property, the group added. This robust foundation of expertise and innovation positions Australia to leverage robotics in solving critical problems and improving operational efficiencies across these sectors, it said.

One of the cutting-edge manufacturing installations developed by Applied Robotics, a group member. Source: Robotics Australia Group

Sector celebrates wins and looks ahead

“The announcement of the National Robotics Strategy is an exciting and commendable first step,” said the group. “However, it is essential to recognize that this is merely the beginning. The path to a fully realized, sustainable robotics industry in Australia requires continued effort and focus. While we celebrate this significant achievement, it is crucial to remain vigilant and committed to solidifying these initial steps to ensure long-term progress.”

The future of robotics in Australia holds immense potential, it noted. By using the momentum generated by the National Robotics Strategy, the nation’s industry can aspire to new heights on the global stage. This requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders to foster an environment conducive to innovation, collaboration, and international exchange, the group said.

“With the National Robotics Strategy as a guiding framework, Australia is poised to become a global leader in robotics and automation,” said Kirchner.

This vision can only be realized through collective effort and a strategic approach to international collaboration. By establishing a bi-directional conduit for deep commercial exchange in robotics and AI, Australia can position itself at the forefront of technological innovation.

The future success of the robotics industry hinges on the ability to integrate advanced technologies into practical applications that address real-world challenges. The group said that it and other industry stakeholders must continue to advocate for policies and initiatives that support research, development, and the commercialization of robotics technologies.

“The commitment of the Robotics Australia Group to building a sustainable robotics industry in Australia is both inspiring and crucial,” Kirchner said. “Their efforts, coupled with the strategic direction provided by the National Robotics Strategy, pave the way for a future where robotics and automation play a central role in addressing the nation’s unique challenges. By celebrating current achievements and maintaining a steadfast focus on future goals, Australia can achieve remarkable advancements in the robotics industry.”

In this journey, it is essential to remain proactive, collaborative, and visionary. With a collective effort, the vision of a “Future Made in Australia” powered by advanced robotics is not just a dream, but also an imminent reality. The group is currently spearheading the production of the third edition of the Robotics Roadmap for Australia, scheduled for release in 2025.

“Together, we can propel Australia to new heights of innovation and global leadership in the robotics sector,” said the group.

About the author

Dr. Nathan G.E. Kirchner is a serial startup founder and advisor, corporate ventures advisor, professor, and founding director of a peak body. He has been recognized as one of “Australia’s Most Innovative” by Engineers Australia and one of the “Top Ten Young Scientists” by Popular Science magazine.

With over 25 years in industry and academia, Kirchner has founded and led several robotics-AI startups, and he serves as a founding director of the Robotics Australia Group. Kirchner is also a venture partner at a leading hardware-first venture capital firm.

He has held prestigious positions such as head of robotics at a major construction company and at Stanford University, the University of Technology Sydney, and Ohio State University.

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Organization: Slip Robotics
Country: U.S.
Website: www.sliprobotics.com
Year Founded: 2019
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Application & Market

Imagine you’re a truck driver finally arriving at your destination after hours of driving. Once you drop off your cargo, you know you have hours more to go before the end of your workday.

In between all this driving, you spend a significant amount of time simply waiting for your trailer to be unloaded and loaded again. While there are robots that can unload pallets or boxes individually, Slip Robotics has taken a different approach to the problem.

Instead of creating a robotic arm to pick items individually, the Atlanta-based company developed SlipBot, also known as an automated loading robot (ALR).

It’s a large, omnidirectional mobile robot that can carry up to eight full pallets and a total of 6 tons. Once the pallets are on the ALR, it autonomously drives into a trailer for transport to the next destination.

When it gets there, it drives off the truck and into the warehouse. Once the truck has been unloaded, the ALRs waiting in the wings can drive onto the trailer.

This can reduce driver wait time from 1.5 hours down to just five minutes, said Slip Robotics. The company also said it can load 20 pallets per minute without driving a forklift into a trailer.

Besides reducing wait times for divers, Slip claimed that its robots can load eight times as many trailers with the same number of operators. It can also reduce damage by 40% by reducing touches and impacts in material handling.

Finally, the company said its systems can improve worker safety. Twenty-five percent of industrial accidents involve a loading dock, noted Slip Robotics, and ALRs make it so operators never need to enter trailers to unload, load, or secure.

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Apollo developer Apptronik is working with third-party logistics provider GXO on a proof of concept. Source: GXO Logistics

Over the past year, humanoid robots have moved from science fiction to early commercial trials. GXO Logistics Inc. today announced that it is conducting an early-stage proof-of-concept program with robot manufacturer Apptronik Inc. GXO said it has partnered with developers to help shape their humanoid prototypes to satisfy the logistics industry’s needs.

“We’re excited to partner with Apptronik to develop their AI-enabled humanoid robot,” stated Adrian Stoch, chief automation officer at GXO Logistics. “Apollo has great potential to add value throughout the distribution center, including the most labor-intensive operational processes.”

“These kinds of robotics reduce repetitive work and improve safety while freeing associates to focus on higher-value-added activities,” he added. “As we progress on our R&D journey with Apptronik, we’ll also be evaluating its capability for other critical use cases along the way.”

Greenwhich, Conn.-based GXO Logistics claimed that it is “the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider,” benefitting from the rapid growth of e-commerce, automation, and outsourcing. The company has more than 130,000 team members across more than 970 facilities totaling approximately 200 million sq. ft.

Stoch participated in a panel on the state of warehouse automation at last month’s Robotics Summit & Expo.

Apptronik designs Apollo to collaborate with humans

Spun out of the Human Centered Robotics Lab at the University of Texas at Austin in 2016, Apptronik has built Apollo to work alongside people. It is the culmination of the design and development of more than 10 general-purpose robots, including extensive work on NASA’s Valkyrie.

Apollo is 5 ft. 8 in. (172.7 cm.) tall, can carry 55 lb. (24.9 kg), and uses swappable batteries for extended runtimes, according to Apptronik. The Austin-based company said its system uses linear actuators that mimic the mechanics of human muscles and provide a full range of mobility.

In March, Apptronik said it is integrating Apollo with NVIDIA Corp.‘s foundation model for robot learning as part of Project GR00T. It also announced that automaker Mercedes-Benz is testing the humanoid robot.

Apollo’s force-control architecture and flexible safety-zone perimeter allow it to work safely around and directly with people, said Apptronik and GXO. The companies said they are jointly evaluating the robot‘s performance in a laboratory setting to fine-tune Apptronik’s AI model before deploying the technology to a GXO distribution center somewhere in the U.S.  

“Our mission is to build versatile robots that can do work in real-world applications – from large, powerful movements like transporting boxes and totes to small, precise ones like picking individual items or scanning barcodes,” said Jeff Cardenas, co-founder and CEO of Apptronik, who spoke at last year’s Robotics Summit & Expo, among other events.

“That’s why we’re committed to helping technology leader GXO optimize its logistics operations and create an even safer, more engaging workplace for its employees with the help of Apollo,” Cardenas said. “The two phases of this R&D program represent essential steps toward the launch of an innovative scalable automation solution for GXO.”

GXO tests multiple humanoid robots

GXO Logistics had been testing the Digit humanoid from Agility Robotics, which won the RBR50 Robot of the Year Award. While humanoids have been a popular topic of discussion at the past year’s conferences and trade shows, Digit and Apollo are among the very few to progress to commercial testing.

Last year, GXO said it has increased its total units of warehouse automation by about 50% year over year. It also trialed a wide range of new hardware and software, including AI-powered robotics and autonomous vehicles.

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Vecna offers warehouses robotic tuggers, lift trucks, and pallet jacks. Source: Vecna Robotics

WALTHAM, Mass. — Although investment in robotics dipped in the past year, suppliers with proven products and business models have been finding funding. Vecna Robotics today announced the close of its Series C round at $100 million, with $40 million in new funding including equity and debt. The financing nearly doubles the company valuation since its Series B round.

“Finalizing this capital raise, with the help of our existing investors and a new financing partner, is huge validation that we are on the right track,” stated Craig Malloy, CEO of Vecna Robotics. “With fresh capital secured, we have the balance sheet to help us drive growth with our existing customers through improved product performance and the release of new automation technology that will change the game for material handling in warehousing and distribution.”

Vecna Robotics said its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), Pivotal orchestration software, and round-the-clock Command Center can help supply chains automate critical workflows and maximize throughput at scale. The company has tightened its focus to self-driving forklifts, pallet jacks, and tuggers to address widespread labor shortages.

Vecna and GEODIS to automate case picking

Over the past year, Vecna Robotics has combined cloud software updates and investments in its Pivotal Command Center to help customers such as GEODIS, FedEx, Caterpillar, and Shape. They have realized as much as 70% performance improvements in ground-to-ground warehouse workflows including case picking, packaging, and cross-docking, it said.

Vecna said the cash infusion will support the launch of platforms that will enable it to “provide more deployment flexibility and reach into new workflows that are in high demand, while being able to continue delivering operator cost savings from Day 1.”

“GEODIS has been working with Vecna Robotics on the development of a new, groundbreaking case-picking solution that nearly doubles performance,” said Andy Johnston, senior director of innovation at GEODIS. “We are counting on this recent cash infusion at the company to speed up development and launch of a complete, market-ready offering that can be deployed right away.”

Vecna tests in house to ensure reliability

The Robot Report recently visited Vecna Robotics headquarters to see its “bowling alley,” where it tests its AMRs around the clock. The company tests capabilities including the “handshake” between its robots and conveyors.

For instance, during a demonstration, Vecna tested its Co-bot Pallet Jack (CPJ) picking up and dropping off heavy loads beyond what customers typically need. It tracks runtimes and multiple maneuvers, and a staffer stays overnight mainly to swap batteries.

“We’re always pleasantly surprised at our low failure rates,” observed Mark Fox, director of validation at Vecna. “We can replicate the conditions of a typical customer site, including obstacles. We analyze the scene and look at multiple pickups and drop offs so that performance doesn’t drop.”

Vecna has also developed sensing at height, enabled robots to accept some variance from existing maps, and participated in the MassRobotics interoperability standards effort.

“We’re working on applying our technology and data to case picking in addition to pallet movement,” explained test engineer Chinonso Ovuegbe.

What products and sectors are seeing the most demand?

“Self-driving forklifts and tuggers are our most popular products,” replied Fox. “Robotics-as-a-service [RaaS] per month is also popular, but some customers buy our products outright. Third-party logistics providers [3PLs] and automotive are booming.”

Investment and new COO to enable growth

Tiger Global Management, Proficio Capital Partners, and IMPULSE participated in Vecna Robotics’ Series C round. The company said the funding will allow it to deliver rapid returns on investment (ROI) to cost-conscious warehouse operators served by the $165 billion pallet-moving autonomy market.

To support its rapid expansion, Vecna also announced the appointment of Michael Helmbrecht as chief operating officer. He will oversee operations, manufacturing, IT, product, and customer success to ensure that the company continues to meet its customer-defined performance guarantees.

Helmbrecht has nearly 20 years of operations, product, and partnership experience from executive roles at Dell, Lifesize, and Ring Central. He joins Vecna after a year of triple-digit revenue growth, an over 100% increase in deployments, and the announcement of an industry-leading performance guarantee.

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Realtime Robotics demonstrates a multi-robot workcell during Mitsubishi Electric’s visit. Credit: Eugene Demaitre

BOSTON — As factories and warehouses look to automate more of their operations, they need confidence that multiple robots can conduct complex tasks repeatedly, reliably, and safely. Realtime Robotics has developed hardware-agnostic software to run and coordinate industrial workcells smoothly without error or collision.

“The lack of coordination on the fly is a key reason why we don’t see multiple robots in many applications today — even in machine tending, where multiple arms could be useful,” said Peter Howard, CEO of Realtime Robotics (RTR). “We’re planning with Mitsubishi Electric to put our motion planner into its CNC controller.”

The company last month received strategic investment from Mitsubishi Electric Corp. as part of its ongoing Series B round. Realtime Robotics said it plans to use the funding to continue scaling and refining its motion-planning optimization and runtime systems. 

Last week, a high-ranking delegation from Mitsubishi Electric visited Realtime Robotics to celebrate the companies’ collaboration. RTR demonstrated a workcell with four robot arms from different vendors, including Mitsubishi, that was able to optimize motion as desired in seconds.

“Mitsubishi Electric is a multi-business conglomerate, a technology leader, and one of the leading suppliers of factory automation products worldwide,” said Dr. Toshie Takeuchi, executive officer and group president for factory automation systems at Mitsubishi. “I see this partnership as the perfect point where experience meets innovation to create value for our customers, stakeholders, and society.”

She and Howard answered the following questions from The Robot Report:

Mitsubishi Electric, Realtime Robotics integrate technologies

How is Realtime Robotics’ motion-optimization software unique? How will it help Mitsubishi Electric’s customers?

Takeuchi: Realtime Robotics’ software is unique in many ways. It starts with the ability to do collision-free motion planning. From there, the motion planning in single robot cells as well as multirobot cells can be automatically optimized for cycle time.

Our customers will benefit by optimizing cycle time to improve production efficiency and reducing the amount of engineering efforts required for equipment design.

Howard: Typically, to provide access for multiple tools at once, you need an interlocked sequence, which loses time. According to the IFR [which recognized the company for its “choreography” tool], up to 70% of the cost of a robot is in programming it.

With RapidPlan, we automatically tune for fixed applications, saving time. Our cloud service can consume files and send back an optimized motion plan, enabling hundreds of thousands of motions in a couple of hours. It’s like Google Maps for industrial robots.

Does Mitsubishi have a timeframe in mind for integrating Realtime’s technology into its controls for factory automation (FA)? When will they be available?

Takeuchi: We are starting by integrating RTR’s motion-planning and optimization technology into our 3D simulator to significantly improve equipment and system design.

Our plan is to incorporate this technology into our FA control systems, including PLCs and CNCs, and this integration is currently under development and testing, with a launch expected soon.

Howard: We’re currently validating and characterizing for remote optimization with customers. We’re also doing longevity testing here at our headquarters.

In the demo cell, you couldn’t easily program 1.7 million options for four different arms, but RapidPlan automates motion planning and calculates space reservations to avoid obstacles in real time. We do point-to-point, integrated spline-based movement.

Toyota asked us for a 16-arm cell to test spot welding, and we can add a second controller for an adjacent cell. We can currently control up to 12 robots for welding high and low on an auto body.

Mitsubishi Electric recently launched the RV-35/50/80 FR industrial robots — are they designed to work with Realtime’s technology?

Takeuchi: Yes, they are. Our robots are developed on the same platform which seamlessly integrate with RTR’s technology.

Howard: For example, Sony uses Mitsubishi robots to manufacture 2-cm parts, and we can get down to submillimeter accuracy if it’s a known object with a CAD file.

Cobots are fine for larger objects and voxels, but users must still conduct safety assessments.

MELCO’s Dr. Takeuchi changes optimization parameters during RTR demonstration by Kevin Carlin, chief commercial officer. Source: Realtime Robotics

RTR optimizes motion for multiple applications

What sorts of applications or use cases do Mitsubishi and Realtime expect to benefit from closer coordination among robots?

Takeuchi: Our interaction with and understanding from customers suggest that almost all manufacturing sites are continuously in need of increasing production, efficiency, profitability, and sustainability.

With our collaboration, we can reduce the robots’ cycle time, hence increasing efficiency. Multi-robot applications can collaborate seamlessly, increasing throughput and optimizing floor space.

By implementing collision-free motion planning, we help our customers reduce the potential for collisions, thereby reducing losses and improving overall performance.

Howard: It’s all about shortening cycle times and avoiding collisions. In Europe, energy efficiency is increasingly a priority, and in Japan, floor space is at a premium, but throughput is still the most important.

Our mission is to make automation simpler to program. For customers like Mitsubishi, Toyota, and Siemens, the hardware has to be industrial-grade, and so does the software. We talk to all the OEMs and have close relationships with the major robot suppliers.

This is ideal for uses cases such as gluing, deburring, welding and assembly. RapidSense can also be helpful in mixed-case palletizing. For mobile manipulation, RTR’s software could plan for the motion of both the AMR [autonomous mobile robot] and the arm.

Members of Realtime Robotics and Mitsubishi Electric’s teams celebrate their collaboration. Source: Realtime Robotics

Mitsubishi strengthens partnership

Do you expect that the addition of a member to Realtime Robotics’ board of directors will help it jointly plan future products with Mitsubishi Electric?

Takeuchi: Yes. Since our initial investment in Realtime Robotics, we have both benefited from this partnership. We look forward to integrating the Realtime Robotics technology into our portfolio of products to continue enhancing our next-gen products with advanced features and scalability.

Howard: RTR has been working with Mitsubishi since 2018, so it’s our longest customer and partner. We have other investors, but our relationship with Mitsubishi is more holistic, broader, and deeper.

We’ve seen a lot of Mitsubishi Electric’s team as we create our products, and we look forward to reaching the next steps to market together.

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The Waabi Driver includes a generative AI stack as well as sensors and compute hardware. Source: Waabi

Autonomous passenger vehicles have hit potholes over the past few years, with accidents leading to regulatory scrutiny, but investment in self-driving trucks has continued. Waabi today announced that it has raised $200 million in an oversubscribed Series B round. The funding brings total investment in the Toronto-based startup to more than $280 million.

Waabi said that it “is on the verge of Level 4 autonomy” and that it expects to deploy fully autonomous trucks in Texas next year. The company claimed that it has been able to advance quickly toward that goal because of its use of generative artificial intelligence in the physical world.

“I have spent most of my professional life dedicated to inventing new AI technologies that can deliver on the enormous potential of AI in the physical world in a provably safe and scalable way,” stated Raquel Urtasun, a professor at the University of Toronto and founder and CEO of Waabi.

“Over the past three years, alongside the incredible team at Waabi, I have had the chance to turn these breakthroughs into a revolutionary product that has far surpassed my expectations,” she added. “We have everything we need — breakthrough technology, an incredible team, and pioneering partners and investors — to launch fully driverless autonomous trucks in 2025. This is monumental for the industry and truly marks the beginning of the next frontier for AI.”

Waabi uses generative AI to reduce on-road testing

Waabi said it is pioneering generative AI for the physical world, starting with applying the technology to self-driving trucks. The company said it has developed “a single end-to-end AI system that is capable of human-like reasoning, enabling it to generalize to any situation that might happen on the road, including those it has never seen before.”

Because of that ability to generalize, the system requires significantly less training data and compute resources in comparison with approaches to autonomy, asserted Waabi. In addition, the company claimed that its system is fully interpretable and that its safety can be validated and verified.

The company said Copilot4D, its “end-to-end AI system, paired with Waabi World, the world’s most advanced simulator, reduces the need for extensive on-road testing and enables a safer, more efficient solution that is highly performant and scalable from Day 1.”

Several industry observers have pointed out that self-driving trucks will likely arrive on public roads before widespread deployments of robotaxis in the U.S. While Waymo has pumped the brakes on development, other companies have made progress, including Inceptio, FERNRIDE, Kodiak Robotics, and Aurora.

At the same time, work on self-driving cars continues, with Wayve raising $1.05 billion last month and TIER IV obtaining $54 million. General Motors invested another $850 million in Cruise yesterday.

“Self-driving technology is a prime example of how AI can dramatically improve our lives,” said AI luminary Geoff Hinton. “Raquel and Waabi are at the forefront of innovation, developing a revolutionary approach that radically changes the way autonomous systems work and leads to safer and more efficient solutions.”

Waabi plans to expand its commercial operations and grow its team in Canada and the U.S. The company cited recent accomplishments, including the opening of its new Texas AV trucking terminal, a collaboration with NVIDIA to integrate NVIDIA DRIVE Thor into the Waabi Driver, and its ongoing partnership with Uber Freight. It has run autonomous shipments for Fortune 500 companies and top-tier shippers in Texas.

Copilot4D predicts future lidar point clouds from a history of past observations, similar to how large language models (LLMs) predict the next word given the preceding text. Source: Waabi

Technology leaders invest in self-driving trucks

Waabi noted that top AI, automotive, and logistics enterprises were among its investors. Uber and Khosla Ventures led Waabi’s Series B round. Other participants included NVIDIA, Volvo Group Venture Capital, Porsche Automobil Holding, Scania Invest, and Ingka Investments.

“Waabi is developing autonomous trucking by applying cutting-edge generative AI to the physical world,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “I’m excited to support Raquel’s vision through our investment in Waabi, which is powered by NVIDIA technology. I have championed Raquel’s pioneering work in AI for more than a decade. Her tenacity to solve the impossible is an inspiration.”

Additional support came from HarbourVest Partners, G2 Venture Partners, BDC Capital’s Thrive Venture Fund, Export Development Canada, Radical Ventures, Incharge Capital, and others.

“We are big believers in the potential for autonomous technology to revolutionize transportation, making a safer and more sustainable future possible,” added Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “Raquel is a visionary in the field, and under her leadership, Waabi’s AI-first approach provides a solution that is extremely exciting in both its scalability and capital efficiency.”

Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, said: “Change never comes from incumbents but from the innovation of entrepreneurs that challenge the status quo. Raquel and her team at Waabi have done exactly that with their products and business execution. We backed Waabi very early on with the bet that generative AI would transform transportation and are thrilled to continue on this journey with them as they move towards commercialization.”

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Collaborative Robotics has kept its actual robot out of public view. | Source: Adobe Stock, Photoshopped by The Robot Report

Collaborative Robotics, a developer of cobots for logistics, today announced the establishment of a Foundation Models AI team. Michael Vogelsong, a founder of Amazon’s Deep Learning Tech team, will lead the new team in Seattle.

“Our cobots are already doing meaningful work in production on behalf of our customers,” stated Brad Porter, CEO of Collaborative Robotics. “Our investment in building a dedicated foundation models AI team for robotics represents a significant step forward as we continue to increase the collaborative potential of our cobots.”

“The foundation models AI team will explore the cutting-edge possibilities of AI in enhancing robotic capabilities, particularly in the area of bimanual manipulation and low-latency multimodal models,” he added. “We aim to achieve a new level of comprehension and control in our robots, enabling them to understand and respond effectively to complex tasks and environments. I am looking forward to seeing the innovations this talented team creates.”

Collaborative Robotics keeps its system under wraps

In April, Collaborative Robotics closed its $100 million Series B round toward commercializing its autonomous mobile manipulator. The company has been very secretive about the actual design of its system, releasing only scant details about the payload capabilities and the fact that is a wheeled collaborative robot.

At the time, Porter told The Robot Report that the new cobot’s base is capable of omnidirectional motion with four wheels and a swerve-drive design, along with a central tower-like structure that can acquire, carry, and place totes and boxes around a warehouse.

Brad Porter of Collaborative Robotics (far right) participated in a debate on whether humanoid robots are reality or hype at Robotics Invest this week in Boston. Credit: Eugene Demaitre

Foundation AI models coming to robotics

Foundation AI models are currently one of the hottest topics in robotics, with many companies investing in both talent and intellectual property to develop the technology. Foundation models offer the promise of generalizing behaviors and reducing the effort to build and maintain special-purpose models.

Collaborative Robotics said its new Foundation Models AI team will concentrate on integrating advanced machine-learning techniques into its production robots. By combining existing foundation models, novel research, and strategic partnerships with the practical experience from running systems live in production environments, the team aims to improve the adaptability and precision of robotic tasks.

Building on the company’s earlier work in developing an Auditable Control and Planning Framework (ACoP), this research will explore how models that process text, vision, and actions can interact and create a real-time feedback loop for adaptive control.

The company also announced a that it is funding Ph.D. work at the University of Washington through a “significant” gift. This gift will sponsor the research of Prof. Sidd Srinivasa, an academic leader in AI and robotics, who also serves as an advisor to Collaborative Robotics.

“The collaboration with Cobot supports our ongoing research at the University of Washington,” said Srinivasa. “Cobot’s commitment to advancing AI and robotics aligns well with our research goals and will help us advance robotic capabilities across multiple dimensions and particularly in the area of bimanual manipulation. ”

Collaborative Robotics plans this month to open its Seattle office, which will serve as a hub for these advanced research activities. The company said it expects the city’s tech ecosystem to support its expansion and research goals.

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Organization: Instock Inc.
Country: U.S.
Website: instock.com
Year Founded: 2020
Number of Employees: 11-50
Innovation Class: Technology

Instock came onto The Robot Report‘s radar when it became part of the Amazon Industrial Fund’s portfolio of robotics investments. This is the same fund that invested in Agility Robotics and many other notable companies.

Instock is taking a unique and flexible approach to automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS). Most of these systems involve complex racking that moves bins around and places them onto autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that bring those bins to picking robots or human pickers.

Instock doesn’t take this approach. Instead, the only moving part within the system is the AMRs, which pick up the bins themselves by gripping the bin wings and bringing them to workstations.

To travel between levels and maximize space, Instock’s AMRs drive along curved ramps placed at the end of the company’s modular racks. The AMRs then use magnets to drive upside down along the ceiling of the rack. When on the ceiling, the robot places itself above a bin and grabs from the top with its unique gripper.

The AMRs can then use the ramps to travel to whatever level they need to be at to deliver the bin to picking stations. The suspended mobile robots use the same system to bring bins back to the racks.

Because the only moving part within the entire system is the AMRs, Instock said its ASRS is easy to fix when things go wrong. Similar systems might require the entire ASRS to be shut down while repairs are made to one module, but with Instock, users simply need to remove the malfunctioning robot for maintenance.

Instock also claimed that its ASRS could require less maintenance than traditional systems.

Register now.

Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024.

RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024

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Floware includes AMRs, fleet management software, real-time performance dashboards and more. | Credit: Floatic

Korea-based Floatic, a warehouse robotic solutions provider, raised $3.8 million in a pre-Series A bridge round. The investment was led by Capstone Partners and included Quantum Ventures Korea, Bluepoint, BNK Venture Investment, and BSK Investment.

Floatic has raised a total of $8 million since it was founded in 2021. Floatic attracted seed investments from South Korean tech giant Naver Corp.’s D2SF and Kakao Corp.’s Kakao Ventures shortly after it was founded. It then closed a $2.5 million pre-Series A round in 2022.

The company plans to use the funding to extend its research and development efforts and enhance its product as it prepares for commercialization this year.

Floatic develops and offers Floware, a robotic system for e-commerce picking. It offers a complete solution from integration to deployment and operation in less than six weeks, with minimum infrastructure and financial requirements, according to the company. Floatic claims its approach increases productivity up to 3.5 times compared to manual picking.

Floware consists of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) designed specifically for warehouses and a management platform tailored to optimizing warehouse workflow. The solution includes features such as the ‘Picking Guide’ and a modular software algorithm that enables flexible operation and real-time management.

“Warehouses have diverse variables daily, making it difficult to provide the necessary solutions without a proper understanding of the site,” said Chan Lee, CEO of Floatic. “We have been focusing on the user voices and developed the product based on this from the very beginning, which makes a crucial difference in the solution.”

The company has been conducting on-site field tests with 3PL companies and local warehouses, and collaborating with leading logistics partners in Korea such as POSCO DX and LogisALL. It intends to make a full commercialization in the second half of this year.

“We will continue to invest in developing and creating the feasible robotic solutions needed to establish the most efficient warehouse environment, thoroughly focusing on the market from a user-centric perspective,” Lee added. “This fundraising will be a powerful engine to achieve this goal, and we are grateful to our investors for supporting us.”

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In Episode 153 of The Robot Report Podcast, editors Steve Crowe and Mike Oitzman discuss the news of the week. Our featured guest on the show this week is Sankalp Arora, co-founder and CEO of Gather AI. We catch up with Sankalp to learn how his company‘s drone inventory management product is evolving.

The second featured interview is with Jake Hall, the “Manufacturing Millennial,” and Scott Sizemore, director of commercial marketing at motor provider ElectroCraft.

Show timeline

• 5:45: News
• 25:20: Interview with Sankalp Arora, co-founder and CEO of Gather AI
• 58:59: Interview by Jake Hall, the Manufacturing Millennial, with Scott Sizemore, director of commercial marketing at ElectroCraft

Register now.

In the news this week

1. Investor Dean Drako acquires Cobalt Robotics
   • Cobalt Robotics has been acquired by investor Dean Drako, and the name of the security robot firm has been changed to Cobalt AI to more accurately represent the company’s direction and the products it offers.
   • Drako is the founder and CEO of Eagle Eye Networks, in addition to a number of other enterprises and side projects. Cobalt AI fits closest to the Eagle Eye Smart Video Surveillance portfolio.
2. Waymo expands its service area 
   • Robotaxi developer Waymo announced that it’s expanding its service area in Phoenix. The company has added 90 square miles to what was already its largest service area in Metro Phoenix. Waymo’s service now covers 315 square miles of the Valley.
   • In addition, Zoox announced that it will begin testing in Austin and Miami, the fourth and fifth public testing locations for the Amazon subsidiary.
3. OpenAI is restarting its robotics research group
   • OpenAI, which is best known for ChatGPT, is restarting its robotics research group. The San Francisco-based company has been a pioneer in generative artificial intelligence and is returning to robotics after a three-year break.
   • The reboot comes after the company shut down its robotics group in July 2021. That shutdown was prior to all of the interest in generative AI after OpenAI released ChatGPT to the world.
4. See this disc golf disc-throwing robot:

The post Gathering warehouse inventory data — plus an update from ElectroCraft appeared first on The Robot Report.

maxon provides motion controllers, and Balluff offers sensors for warehouse automation. Source: maxon motor

When looking to boost productivity and eliminate mundane manual tasks in the warehouse, adding robots is a good start, but it’s not enough. Speed, scalability, sustainability, and upskilling the workforce are also essential for long-term success. This strategy requires additional forms of automation that are optimized for digital transformation — from the controllers to the networks to the interfaces and the cloud. 

In this webinar, we explore the many technologies that come together to keep warehouse and fulfillment centers operating at peak performance.

Manufacturers, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), and distribution center operators need tools that enable greater visibility into their processes, offer tighter control of processes, and improve energy management. From sensing to vision systems, motion control, cables, connectors, and more, it’s advances in components and controllers that power the adoption of automation.

This free webinar on controllers and warehouse automation will be at 2:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Register now, and ask questions during the live discussion. It will be accessible on demand after the initial broadcast.

About the speakers

John Santagate is the vice president of robotics at Körber Supply Chain Software, overseeing strategy for autonomous mobile and warehouse robotics, as well as its robotics partner network. He ensures these technologies drive customer success and integrate with Körber’s broader solutions.

With a career in supply chain focused on efficiency and profitability, Santagate previously consulted for Tata Consultancy Services and was a leading industry analyst at IDC.

Stephanie Neil is executive editor for robotics at WTWH Media. She is a seasoned business-to-business (B2B) journalist and Web content expert with over 25 years of experience covering the manufacturing industry.

Neil covers a wide range of topics, such as digital transformation, automation, artificial intelligence, analytics, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, robotics, simulation, and workforce issues. She seeks to share the end-user perspective that reveals the business value of operational processes while exploring how technology affects the way we work.

This webinar is sponsored by motor provider maxon and software and sensors expert Balluff.

The post Webinar: From controllers to the cloud: Discovering the cornerstones of warehouse automation appeared first on The Robot Report.

Amazon Prime Air expects to expand its delivery range with the expanded exemptions from the FAA. | Credit: Amazon

The Federal Aviation Administration requires commercial drone operators to maintain line of sight with their drones until a technology safely enables beyond visual line-of-sight, or BVLOS, operations. The ability to pilot a drone by relying on instruments for control rather than direct line of sight is essential for scaling complex operations. Last week, Amazon Prime Air reported that it has received additional BVLOS permissions from the FAA.

Amazon Prime Air said the additional permissions for BVLOS drone operations will allow it to expand its package-delivery services. To obtain this permission, the company developed an onboard detect-and-avoid system to ensure that its drones can detect and avoid obstacles safely. This system has undergone years of development, testing, and refinement, it said.

“Our vision has remained unchanged since we started working on Prime Air: to create a safe and scalable way to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less using highly autonomous drones,” said Amazon in a blog post. “To achieve our goal of delivering 500 million packages, per year, by drone, by the end of this decade, we knew we had to design a system capable of serving highly populated areas and that was safer than driving to the store.”

Amazon provides drone details to FAA

Amazon explained that it submitted engineering information to the FAA detailing the design, operation, maintenance, and validation of its system and detect-and-avoid capability. The company conducted flight demonstrations for FAA inspectors, demonstrating safe navigation in real-world scenarios, including interactions with planes, helicopters, and even a hot air balloon.

Extensive analysis and test data further validated the system’s safety, leading to FAA approval for BVLOS operations, said Amazon.

The waivered regulations include 14 CFR § 107.51(c), the “Operating limitations for small unmanned aircraft – Visibility.” The exemption waives the visibility required and allows operations when the flight visibility as observed from the location of the control station is less than 3 statute miles (4.8 km).

The other regulation waived is 14 CFR § 107.51(d), the “Operating limitations for small unmanned aircraft – Cloud Clearance.” This allows uncrewed aerial system (UAS) operations without meeting minimal clearance requirements of remaining 500 ft. (152.4 m) below clouds.

The FAA has recently also granted BVLOS waivers to American Aerospace and a contract to uAvionix, and the FAA’s reauthorization will likely lead to more drone deliveries.

Register now.

Prime Air to expand drone delivery area

This new authorization allows Amazon Prime Air to expand its drone delivery area in College Station, Texas, enabling more customers to choose from thousands of items, including household essentials, beauty products, and drugstore items. Prime Air had already been testing in Northern California and plans to serve around Phoenix.

Later this year, drone deliveries will integrate into Amazon’s delivery network, deploying from facilities next to Same-Day Delivery sites for faster delivery of a wider selection of items.

Safety remains a top priority, said Amazon. The company said its onboard technology will ensure compliance with strict safety standards as it expands its delivery reach.

In 2020, the FAA gave Amazon an Air Carrier Certificate, allowing the company to operate as an airline and deliver small packages via drone. With this Part 135 certification and the newly granted BVLOS permissions, Prime Air said it is positioned to scale drone delivery for more densely populated areas.

The post Amazon Prime Air gets FAA approval for extended BVLOS drone deliveries appeared first on The Robot Report.

Organization: Amazon Robotics
Country: U.S.
Website: www.amazon.jobs/en/teams/amazon-robotics
Year Founded: 2003
Number of Employees: 501-1000
Innovation Class: Technology, Product & Services

Editor’s Note: The 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards were announced on April 9. The RBR50 has been around for the past 12 years, and the inaugural RBR50 Gala was held during the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. The Robot Report will be highlighting each RBR50 winner throughout the year.

Amazon.com Inc. is the world’s largest user of industrial robots. It has deployed more than 750,000 robots to help fulfill customer orders. According to the Seattle-based e-commerce giant, more than 75% of all customer orders globally are delivered with the help of robots.

That number is only going to increase going forward with the introduction of robots like Titan, Amazon’s new mobile robot. Titan can transport heavy-duty payloads up to 2,500 lb. (1,133.9 kg). That is two times more than Hercules, which is Amazon’s most broadly deployed mobile robot.

Titan integrates several technologies from Amazon’s other mobile robots for battery management, computer vision, obstacle detection, and user control. It can also integrate with other robots Amazon uses throughout its facilities by using familiar hardware components to manage its operating system “as it plans, executes, and interfaces with other technologies.”

Amazon said its SAT1 fulfillment center in San Antonio, Texas, is the first to deploy Titan. It will work with other robots to move heavy objects, including small household appliances or pallets of pet food and gardening equipment, and allow people to focus on new tasks.

While there are other heavy-duty mobile robots on the market, Amazon developing and deploying Titan in its facilities proves these robots are ready for primetime. Titan increases the number of SKUs Amazon can move via robotics, meaning it could be another game-changing robot for Amazon, joining the likes of Hercules, Pegasus, Proteus, Robin, and more.

Titan is a continuation of Amazon’s decades of robotics research to better serve its customers and create a better workplace for its employees.

Register now.

Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024.

RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024

The post RBR50 Spotlight: Amazon strengthens robotics portfolio with heavy duty mobile robot appeared first on The Robot Report.

The NVIDIA Isaac platform powers electronics, healthcare and industrial applications. | Credit: eCential Robotics (left), Amazon Robotics (right)

In addition to artificial intelligence products, NVIDIA Corp. founder and CEO Jensen Huang announced several robotics-related items during his keynote today at COMPUTEX in Taiwan. The company said that many computer manufacturers are producing a new generation of “AI computers” using its chips to enable Omniverse for modeling and business workflows.

Back in April, NVIDIA announced several new robotics-related technologies at the 2024 GPU Technology Conference (GTC). These new products included Project GR00T, Jetson Thor, Isaac Lab, OSMO, Isaac Manipulator, and Isaac Perceptor.

NVIDIA Isaac Perceptor is a new reference workflow for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Isaac Manipulator offers new foundation models and a reference workflow for industrial robotic arms.

The company has also updated Jetson for Robotics in NVIDIA JetPack 6.0. It has included NVIDIA Isaac Lab, a lightweight app for robot learning, in NVIDIA Isaac Sim 4.0.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company was also a 2024 RBR50 award winner for its Nova Carter reference AMR platform developed with Segway Robotics.

Register now.

Manufacturers can simulate in Omniverse

While there weren’t any new robotics product announcements, NVIDIA did say that many of its partners are beginning to use AI and Isaac SIM in the design of new manufacturing facilities. Through the creation of a digital twin of the factory floor, these companies are now able to simulate the assembly process by programming and running robots in simulation.

“Everything is going to be robotic. All of the factories will be robotic. The factories will orchestrate robots,” said Huang, reported Digitimes Asia. “And those robots will be building products that are robotic robots interacting with robots, building robotic products.”

He showed video clips that robots are all moving by themselves in the Omniverse, where simulations were implemented through digital twins.

“Generative physical AI can learn skills using reinforcement learning from physics feedback in a simulated world,” Huang said during his keynote. “In these simulation environments, robots learn to make decisions by performing actions in a virtual world that obeys the laws of physics.”

Taiwanese chip manufacturer and NVIDIA partner Foxconn is using Isaac SIM to plan factories that will produce the next generation of NVIDIA processors.

NVIDIA also announced that electronics manufacturers Delta Electronics, Pegatron, and Wistron are using NVIDIA Metropolis, Omniverse, and Isaac to simulate, build, and operate their facilities with “virtual factories.”

Foxconn’s factory simulated in Omniverse, featuring AI robots developed by NVIDIA robotics partners. | Credit: Foxconn

Top robot developers use Isaac robotics platform

NVIDIA claimed that top robot developers are using the Isaac robotics platform to create AI-enabled autonomous devices and robots. They included more than a dozen world leaders in the robotics industry, including BYD Electronics, Siemens, Teradyne Robotics, and Intrinsic.

These users are adding NVIDIA Isaac-accelerated libraries, physically-based simulation, and AI models to their software frameworks and robot models. This can make factories, warehouses, and distribution centers more efficient and safer for people who work there, said NVIDIA. It added that the robots can help people with repetitive or very precise tasks.

“The era of robotics has arrived. Everything that moves will one day be autonomous,” said Huang. “We are working to accelerate generative physical AI by advancing the NVIDIA robotics stack, including Omniverse for simulation applications, Project GR00T humanoid foundation models, and the Jetson Thor robotics computer.”

Siemens, a worldwide leader in industrial automation, uses NVIDIA Isaac Sim for its software-in-the-loop capabilities. The company said Isaac technologies speed its development and testing of new robotics skills like SIMATIC Robot PickAI (PRO) and SIMATIC Robot Pack AI.

According to Siemens, the industrial robots can now independently and successfully pick and pack arbitrary goods without human training by using cognitive AI vision software.

“AI-powered robots will accelerate the digital transformation of industry and take over repetitive tasks that were previously impossible to automate so we can unlock human potential for more creative and valuable work,” said Roland Busch, president and CEO at Siemens AG.

Siemens said it also brings vision AI to robots from KUKA, Techman Robot, Universal Robots, and Yaskawa by seamlessly integrating with automation solutions and making it easy to use on an NVIDIA-powered Siemens industrial PC foundation.

Foxconn virtual factory digital twin built using AI, NVIDIA Omniverse, NVIDIA Isaac and NVIDIA Metropolis. | Credit: Foxconn

Intrinsic using Isaac Manipulator to simulate robot gripping

Alphabet software and AI robotics subsidiary Intrinsic, which purchased Open Source Robotics Corporation in late 2022, tested Isaac Manipulator on its robot-agnostic software platform. With Manipulator, Intrinsic showed that a scalable, universal robotic-grasping talent can function across grippers, settings, and objects.

Solomon, Techman Robot, Vention and Yaskawa are among the companies using Isaac Manipulator for building AI-based robotic arms. With partners ADLINK, Advantech, and ONYX, NVIDIA said AI Enterprise on the IGX platform offers edge AI systems meeting strict regulatory standards, essential for medical technology and other industries.

“We couldn’t have found a better collaborator in NVIDIA, who are helping to pave the way for foundation models to have a profound impact on industrial robotics,” stated Wendy Tan White, CEO of Intrinsic. “As our teams work together on integrating NVIDIA Isaac and Intrinsic’s platform, the potential value we can unlock for millions of developers and businesses is immense.”

Over 100 companies are adopting NVIDIA Isaac Sim to simulate, test and validate robotics applications, including Hexagon, Husqvarna Group, and MathWorks. Humanoid robot developers Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Fourier Intelligence, and Sanctuary AI are adopting Isaac Lab.

In addition, NVIDIA noted that robotics developers such as Moon Surgical and the SETI Institute are using NVIDIA Holoscan on the updated IGX Orin platform for sensor processing and deploying AI and high-performance computing for flexible sensor integration and real-time insights.

The post NVIDIA highlights Omniverse, Isaac adoption by robot market leaders appeared first on The Robot Report.

S&S Activewear has deployed robots from Geek+ and software from Körber. Source: Körber Supply Chain

Smart retailers are working with select technology partners to optimize their operations. S&S Activewear today announced the expansion of its partnership with Körber Supply Chain.

The apparel distributor has also deployed robots from Geekplus Technology Co. at three warehouse sites across the Americas. S&S Activewear said the collaboration enables it to optimize on-site staff, order quality, and delivery efficiencies to meet the surging demands of a rapidly evolving market.

“Innovation is a core tenet of S&S’s decades-long history in the apparel industry,” stated Brian Beale, chief technology officer of S&S. “Advancing our warehouse operations with Körber and Geek+’s robotics and automation expertise has been a natural and impactful evolution in our technology journey.”

“Our customers deserve a seamless experience, from order to fulfillment, and we’re excited about the increased efficiencies we’re already seeing through our collaboration with Körber,” he added.

Founded in 1988, S&S Activewear is a leading technology-enabled distributor of apparel and accessories in the U.S. and Canada. The Bolingbrook, Ill.-based company offers more than 80 brands, from basic garments to fashion-forward styles, with over 4 million sq. ft. of warehouse space across North America.

S&S said it serves a broad range of customers through its nationwide network, including retail brands, e-commerce companies, garment decorators, and promotional products distributors. It also serves entertainment merchandisers, lifestyle brands, and Web-based platforms for apparel customization. 

Register now.

S&S deployment is a big deal for Körber

The partnership began with the deployment of 340 Geek+ robots at a single 750,000 sq. ft. (69,677.2 sq. m) S&S Activewear site in Lockport, Ill. Körber said it marked the largest collaboration in its robotics portfolio to date.

“This signifies a major commitment to pioneering solutions within the apparel industry,” said the partners.

“Warehouse solutions are a core area of Körber’s expertise, and we look forward to expanding our partnership with S&S,” said Sean Elliott, CTO and acting CEO for software at Körber Supply Chain. “Our robotics offerings are designed to scale with the speed and size of business, optimizing warehouse operations so organizations can focus on value-driven activities to support the larger overall goals.”

A key aspect of this expansion is the implementation of Geek+’s PopPick systems. These robots, which won an RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award, efficiently move inventory stored in totes to pick stations, said Geek+. The system incorporates autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and the slotting of inventory to facilitate product flow within the warehouse.

Körber said its systems and services can help users manage increasingly complex supply chain operations for a competitive advantage. The unit of Hamburg, Germany-based Körber AG said it can help businesses of any size with its portfolio of software, voice, and robotics systems as well as the expertise to tie it all together.

Körber recently recognized S&S Activewear for its outstanding achievements in Facility Optimization with a Customer Award at the 2024 Elevate Conference.

Geek+ robots deliver results

Since the inception of the partnership, S&S Activewear has reported significant successes. The Geek+ system was designed to support more than 4,500 lines per hour through 24 picking stations. It has effectively enhanced speed and efficiency in warehouse operations, order fulfillment, and quality assurance, said S&S.

“Our longstanding partnership with Körber has been crucial in bringing our revolutionary solutions to a wider audience,” said Randy Randolph, director of channel partner sales at Geek+. “This deployment with S&S highlights the huge impact of our mobile robots in helping retailers meet the crush of e-commerce orders while improving quality and efficiency.”

Geekplus said it is a global leader in mobile robots for order fulfillment. More than 1,000 customers use its automation for flexible, reliable, and efficient warehouse and supply chain management. Founded in 2015, the company has offices in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., Japan, South Korea, China, and Singapore.

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